Cotyledonary Leaf Architecture in Relation to Taxonomy: Apiaceae

A detailed investigation has been made for the first time on major as well as minor venation patterns, areoles, veinlets and vein terminations in the cotyledonary leaves of eleven genera of Apiaceae with a view to examine their utility in the systematics of this taxon. The cotyledonary leaf architecture is exclusively acrodromous excepting Hydrocotyle rotundifolia where it is pinnate brochidodromous. The cotyledonary leaf architectural features of Apiaceae are of taxonomic significance and helpful for distinguishing the taxa studied from one another. Accordingly a key has been presented for this purpose.